Creating a Deep vs. Shallow Copy of an Object in Java

When working with objects in Java, there are times when you need to create a copy of an object. However, not all copies are the same. In fact, there are two main ways to make copies: deep copy and shallow copy. Let’s explore these concepts and see how they work with some easy examples.

Deep Copy: What Is It?

Imagine you have a collection of shapes, each with its own set of properties. A deep copy of an object means creating a completely new copy of the original object, along with all the nested objects it contains. In other words, it’s like making a photocopy of each shape, including all the details.